


Arbiter

by orphan_account



Series: all the people we might have been [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Female Anti-Hero, Fuck yeah city elf, Gen, Hints of bromance, Implied dependency, Non-Romance, scene drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-12
Updated: 2015-10-12
Packaged: 2018-04-26 01:07:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4983976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Warden allows Loghain to live. For a price.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arbiter

“It’s over.” Loghain rasped from beneath her boot. His dark eyes looked up and found hers. “Will you let me up and allow me at least the dignity of a soldier’s death?”

 

Behind her, Tabris heard Alistair hiss, “Don’t you _dare_. He killed our brethren. _He killed Duncan_. He let all of them die, Tabris. Don’t let him live.” He was afraid she'd obey Anora. 

 

She leaned on the heel of the boot digging into Loghain’s neck. He choked and gasped for air, hands twitching at his sides. Shems always got away with the things they wanted, even if it never seemed like they did, they always managed to fucking weasel their way around somehow.

 

Like the little prick that had raped Shianni. He never regretted it because "elves weren’t people". Nobody was sorry. Then the Alienage blamed her when she took his weapons away, both of them. As if it wasn’t for the best the bastard never begat children.

 

Loghain had killed the one man in the world who had looked at her and saw the ears but didn’t care. He saw her. Tabris. A woman who had worth enough in her to rescue her from the fate of the executioner's block and allow her the chance to prove herself in the Order. He’d died protecting that man-brat. She had never been sorry that the king died. But Duncan - she’d mourn him for the rest of her life. And it was because of that that she would bring back the Order of the Grey to Ferelden. She’d kill that fucking dragon. She’d lock Anora that little traitorous bitch away because she would never help her kind, or the mages, and Alistair would be king. And she’d be there, along with Leliana and Wynne to help him through his reign. To help him with decisions. To guide him. 

 

“I won’t be your executioner, Loghain.” She declared loudly. The crowd broke out into excited murmurs.

 

Alistair opened his mouth but Tabris glared at him through narrowed lashes. He clenched his jaw shut and wrenched his head to look away.

 

“You won’t die. By my hand anyway.” She leaned over him and pressed her boot deeper into his neck just to hear him gasp again. “By the Order of the Grey Wardens, I am calling for your conscription.” Without removing her foot or taking her eyes off of him, she barked, “Riordan. Take him aside and prepare him for Initiation.” Loghain looked at her with confusion, brows furrowed and eyes questioning. She owed him no answers and offered none.

 

She finally moved away when the Senior Grey Warden came to her side and helped Loghain to his feet. When they left and the court was still talking loudly, she could hear Arl Eamon and Anora speak to the people. She turned to Alistair whose mouth turned into a snarl. “How could you-” he began but she held a hand up to silence him.

 

“We need someone to kill the archdemon. You need to be king. Riordan and I need to rebuild the Wardens.” Her brows came together and she laid a firm hand on Alistair’s shoulder, and whispered to him in a firm, commanding voice. “Loghain wanted a proper soldier’s death. A hero’s death. In front of his court. Instead, I called for his conscription as if he were a common criminal. And he’ll die for it, as Riordan says.” Her voice turned from a leader's voice to the edge of a blade. “I didn’t let him live. _I’m choosing_ _how he dies_. Loghain chose how Duncan died. I’m returning the favor.”

 

Alistair didn’t look completely at ease but he nodded. “It’s - well I suppose it’s fair. And Duncan would’ve said we needed as many Wardens as we could gather anyway.”

 

Tabris nodded agreeably, as if that had been her intention by forcing Loghain into this all along. “Alistair,” she whispered. “You’ll be a king soon. Loghain isn’t an issue anymore. But that viper that sold us out still is.” She looked at Anora meaningfully before returning her gaze to Alistair. The man looked at Anora with a hard look in his eyes. “She’s playing our side now because her father lost and the court is with us.” Leaning close, “Lock her away. She turned on her future king.”

 

And there was a bit of hesitance in Alistair’s stance. “But - oh Maker I know nothing about running a country! I can’t even run myself. You do that.”

 

The hand that was still on Alistair’s armored shoulder shook him a bit. “Alistair. You say that like I won’t be here for you when you take the throne.”

 

He blinked. “But - you’re a Warden. Wardens don’t participate in politics.”

 

Tabris smiled. “I think change would do everyone some good. Besides, what else are friends for?”

 

Alistair smiled back slowly and he seemed to relax a bit, his face was still clouded but no longer struggling. “Right. That’s - well that’s good.”

 

She leaned in, eyes focused on his with intent. “Now be a king and get rid of her. Lock her away.” She saw him set his jaw and accept the mission. And Alistair turned to bellow out orders to take Anora away, citing treason, corruption, scheming and meanness.

 

Zevran came up beside Tabris while she watched from the corner of the hall. Alistair was more charismatic than he realized. He attracted people, like a giant glowbug. But he was soft. That was fine. She was steel, she was obsidian, she was silverite. She could more than make up for his shortcomings. Things would change after this.

 

“So I assume some time after the hype around Anora dies down and we find incriminating evidence of some kind against her to make the people hate her, you and I will be paying her a visit?” Zevran asked casually.

 

Tabris rolled her eyes to look at him. “No.” And she turned back to look at Anora being dragged away. The human woman met her eyes and screamed about injustices. Tabris’ face remained unmoved. Highborn, silver spoonfed shems thinking they knew what _injustice_ meant.

 

“Ah I see. Only a visit if anyone knows about it.” Zevran companionably bumped his shoulder into Tabris’.

 

Tabris watched the people begin to love Alistair, throwing words of promises and praises at him. He nodded graciously and smiled and then looked for her nervously. Upon meeting her eyes he relaxed and waved. She smiled and waved back. 

 

A new era was on the horizon.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> title is pretty much meant to be ironic, but in alistair's case he thinks it's true.


End file.
